The Unexpected Guest
by Lia Whyteleafe
Summary: I should have known that Noldorin Elf website would be trouble. Now I've got the last High King of the Noldor as a guest in my house. Part of the Plush Toy Collaboration.
1. Chapter 1

**The Unexpected Guest**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything.**

**1.**

**The Website**

Katy never thought she'd get into the world of fanfiction writing. It had all started in June 2011, when she had picked up a random book – which happened to be _The Silmarillion_ by J.R.R. Tolkien. Ten minutes later, she was completely and utterly in love with the book. Of course, for Katy, falling in love with the book meant she had to look it up online first chance she got.

Somehow, she ended up on the websites _Tolkien Gateway, Encyclopedia of Arda, Wikipedia,_ and _Lord of the Rings Wiki_. And then, she clicked on the main fanfiction website.

After that, there was no going back. The first step was getting an account so she could leave reviews, and maybe favourite some stories to read whenever she wanted. Having read some stories on FanFiction, Katy was amazed at how much research had gone into them – and even more astonished when she read some of the volumes of _The History of Middle-Earth_. It was like a treasure-trove of information just waiting to be enjoyed – or horribly abused. Katy just didn't count on story ideas entering her own head.

One day, Katy had a brilliant idea for a story – and she couldn't find her _History of Middle-Earth_ volumes. She had wanted to read the section called 'Laws and Customs of the Eldar' just to get some details just right; so instead of patiently hunting for the book, she sat down at her laptop and typed 'noldorin elves' into Google. The search mostly yielded a history of the Noldorin Elves – which was good, but not exactly what Katy wanted.

She sighed, and was about to click out of Google. _I should have just looked for that book._

And that was when she noticed the website. She frowned and leaned closer, staring at the screen.

_Does that actually say 'Order a Noldorin Elf'?_

Well, clicking on the link couldn't do any harm, could it?

**Place your order at ! XD We have every single Noldorin Elf you can think of! **

Katy was faced with a range of names in elegant, white type on a royal blue background. They were in alphabetical order; and every single elf that could be classified as Noldor (or at least had Noldorin blood) was on the list. As Katy scrolled down the list, she spotted Angrod, Galadriel, Fingolfin, Finarfin, Turgon, Caranthir and Finrod among the names. She clicked on 'Fingolfin'.

**Fingolfin: Strong-willed, brave, passionate and wise. Order now!**

_This isn't a plastic model. It's a plush toy. …Wait. Plush toys of Silmarillion characters? Haven't I seen something like this before?_

Katy shrugged, and dismissed the thought. She continued to browse the website. Some of the toys seemed to come with a buy-one-get-one-free deal. The sons of Fëanor couldn't be ordered individually; Maglor in particular apparently had to be accompanied by one of his brothers.

_Why? Don't they want to let him out of their sight, or something?_

When Katy clicked on 'Fëanor', she was greeted with the words: **Fëanor is temporarily unavailable. We apologise for the inconvenience. **It seemed to be a funny way of saying that the toy was out of stock.

'Gil-galad' was the next to be investigated. In Katy's mind, he was one of Tolkien's greatest enigmas. The Elvenking was clearly a very important figure; he ruled longer than any of his predecessors did on Middle-Earth and was a valuable ally for several Númenorean kings. Yet Tolkien gave very few hints as to Gil-galad's personality – apart from the fact that he was clever enough to see right through Annatar (a.k.a. Sauron), and wielded an amazing weapon.

_Either that, or he was an amazing warrior._

The toy was dressed in a small blue robe, with the Elvenking's heraldic emblem on the front. **Aeglos not included,** the writing to the side said.

_Oh, why not?_ Katy clicked on **Order now! **She expected to be directed to a page where she could get details about payment; instead, a small box blinked into view.

**Thank you for placing your order! The delivery will arrive at your address.**

"I…Hey, I didn't…I didn't give my address." Katy looked at the screen, completely stunned. "I didn't even _pay_ for it! What a joke." In complete disgust, she clicked out of the box and left the website. "How long is the delivery supposed to take, anyway? Two hundred years?"

It was probably just a prank website anyway. She hoped her laptop hadn't obtained any viruses. A tiny bell in her mind jingled a warning…but she ignored it.

**Hope you enjoyed it so far! I am going to write that prequel/sequel to 'Song of the Waves' and 'Unnumbered Tears' - but inspiration hasn't struck just yet.**

**A big thank-you to Maglor Makalaure for giving me the idea for the Noldorin Elves website!**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1.**

**2.**

**The Delivery**

To her relief, Katy's laptop didn't get any viruses from the mysterious website. Out of sheer paranoia, she checked her bank account over and over again just to make sure there hadn't been any recent purchases.

_It was a joke site after all, _she thought. She managed to find her lost copy of _The History of Middle-Earth_ the next day, which enabled her to write the story she'd been planning.

_Two days later_

"…No, that'd be great! Friday morning would be perfect," Katy said, trying to balance her handbag on her left shoulder whilst holding her canvas bag in her left hand and the mobile phone in her right hand.

"Good!" Natalie said. "Yours or mine?"

"Well, if you fancy a banoffee hot chocolate, mine."

"Oooh, please, I'd love one of those!"

Katy laughed. The wind blew her hair away from her face, and she shifted her grip on her bags. As usual, she had spent longer in the library than she had intended – and the books she had withdrawn were quite heavy. _Note to self: take out __**less**__ than the maximum number next time._

"Mine it is, then. How's Josh doing?"

"Oh, he's fine. He'll be back from Wales any day now, I think. I'm really looking forwards to seeing him." Natalie's boyfriend, Josh, had been on holiday in Wales; he and Nat had kept in touch every single day.

"I was thinking I might take him out for a meal when he gets back. He loves that Italian place – _Carluccio's_, I think it's called. He's always telling me about how great the food is, and…" Nat continued to talk, but Katy wasn't listening to her. She had reached her front gate and was staring in bewilderment at what was in front of her door.

It was a long, rectangular cardboard box; it lay quite innocently in the middle of the little stone path that led to the door.

"You have got to be kidding me," Katy breathed. "…Oh no, not _you_, Nat! Sorry! There just…there's…There's a box outside my door."

"Well, you've got a delivery, then!"

"Yes, but I wasn't expecting one." Katy warily approached the box as if it contained an unexploded bomb.

"Did you order anything over the past few days or weeks?"

A trickle of ice ran down Katy's spine. _That website. It was __**real? **_"In all honesty, yes." _But I didn't think it had actually worked. _"I just completely forgot about it."

Changing the subject abruptly, Nat said: "So I'll see you on Friday, then?"

"Um…yes. See you then."

"Been good talking to you. Bye!" Nat hung up; Katy did likewise with a shaking hand and slipped her mobile into her handbag. She got out her keys and unlocked her front door. Dumping her bags just outside the sitting-room, she went back outside and grasped the end of the box. It was surprisingly light. She manoeuvred it into the hallway with ease.

After shutting the front door, she noticed that the edges of the boxes were stuck together with silver sticky tape. Katy hurried to the kitchen, found a small sharp knife and cut the top of the box free.

_Wow. I have a plush toy of the last High King of the Noldor. Make that a **life-size** toy._

It looked just like the picture on the website: blue robe, heraldic emblem, and no Aeglos. As she studied it, Katy saw a thick white envelope tucked neatly at the bottom end of the box.

_Now what am I going to do with you, your Majesty?_

She grasped the toy under its arms and half-dragged, half-carried it through to the sitting-room; mischievously, she arranged it so that it was seated in one of the chairs. Katy left the room, grabbed the bag that held her library books in one hand and the white envelope in the other and scampered up the stairs to her bedroom. She sat down on her bed and opened the envelope.

It contained several pieces of paper, each of which had a number at the very top of the page. Katy picked up **1** and began to read.

'_There are some things it is important for you to know if you are to get along with your new guest. The first thing is that he will already be aware of how to speak your language. The second is that it is vital for you to tell him about certain aspects of…'_

Katy frowned. Why did all this suddenly seem so familiar? The alarm bell was back in her mind, and this time it wasn't a tiny jingling bell. It was the loud clanging of Big Ben.

_Mysterious box. Plush toys. The Silmarillion._

"No," Katy said aloud, fighting a rising sense of panic. "No way!" She tossed the piece of paper aside, hurtled out of her bedroom and down the stairs, and collided with a tall black-haired figure just emerging from the sitting-room.

She was face to face with Ereinion Gil-galad himself.

"This is not happening!" Katy managed to say.

**To be continued.**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter One.**

**3.**

**Introductions**

Katy opened her eyes, and found herself looking at the hallway ceiling. She was lying on her back with a large cushion underneath her legs, so that they were raised slightly off the ground.

_How did I get here? What happened?_

"Ah, you are awake," said a deep voice to Katy's right.

_Oh my gosh._ Katy tried to sit up; immediately, a wave of dizziness washed through her head. She felt a pair of hands take hold of her shoulders and gently but firmly place her back on the floor.

"Do not sit up too quickly."

She waited until the dizziness had passed before forcing herself to look at the tall Elf kneeling beside her. She saw a pair of blue eyes set in a face that looked as though it could be fierce and proud one moment, but roguish and laughing the next. Long black hair came to below his shoulders.

"Wh-what happened?" Katy eventually asked.

"I am afraid you fainted," was the reply.

"I…I did what?" To Katy's mortification, Gil-galad looked as though he was trying to bite back a smile. _You have got to be joking. I actually fainted?_

"Fortunately, my instructions concerning your culture included what you call 'first-aid'."

"You know first-aid?" _The last King of the Noldor was delivered to my house in a cardboard box as a plush toy, came alive, and __**he knows first-aid**__?_

The King inclined his head. "Indeed. Are you not going to tell me your name?"

"Oh. I'm Katy Whitrow." _How am I going to explain to him what he's doing here?_

"And I am Ereinion Gil-galad. Well met, Katy Whitrow. However, I believe you already know who I am."

"I do."

He didn't seem surprised – or confused. This might be easier than she had thought.

"Do you feel well enough to stand up now?" he asked her.

Katy nodded; Gil-galad took her hands and helped her to her feet. To Katy's relief, the dizziness did not return. "Thank you," she said. "Why don't we go through to the sitting-room? It's this room just here."

Once they were seated on the dark blue sofa, Katy asked her guest if he would like a drink of something. "What do Elves normally drink at this hour?"

"What do _you_ normally drink at this hour?"

"Oh. Um…well, I like a cup of tea right about now," Katy replied, feeling very disconcerted by the twinkling eyes that regarded her. "I could brew us some, if you would like."

"Thank you. Then I believe we have some things to discuss."

Katy swallowed hard. "Yes, I think we do."

In the kitchen, she waited for the tea to finish brewing - realizing after she removed the teabags from the mugs that she'd accidentally brewed her own favourite brand of tea (Earl Grey and Vanilla) instead of normal, safe PG Tips.

_There is an Elf in my house. Not only that, but he's a king. Whatever am I going to do? More to the point, how do I tell him that I ordered him off the Internet? __And why oh why didn't I listen to those alarm bells?_

Somehow she didn't think that the manufacturers of these plush dolls believed in refund policies.

After unconsciously adding milk to the dark brown liquid in the two mugs, she took a deep breath and walked back into the sitting-room. "It's very hot," she said, carefully handing a mug to her guest.

"Thank you, Katy." Gil-galad took a sip of his tea; to Katy's relief, he didn't appear to dislike it. "Did you happen to notice an envelope in the box I came in?"

"Yes, I did - it's upstairs."

"I suggest you read the first document it before we talk further."

**To be continued. Hope you like it so far! How am I doing on Gil-galad's characterization?  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1.**

**4.**

**Instructions**

Katy came downstairs with the piece of paper entitled **1** in her hand. She sat down on the empty side of the sofa and began to read.

'_There are some things it is important for you to know if you are to get along with your new guest. The first thing is that he will already be aware of how to speak your language.'_

No surprises there.

'_The second is that it is vital for you to tell him about certain aspects of your life. He will already have been instructed about your culture, and will know some essential skills.'_

Katy frowned. What did that mean, and who had been instructing him?

'_**He must blend in. **Otherwise this will arouse suspicion, which could be disastrous.'_

She glanced sideways at Gil-galad. Well, his long hair might not be a problem. Those clothes, though…that was different. If he was to go walking around in that robe, he'd stick out like a sore thumb.

'_You are responsible for the safety and wellbeing of your guest for the duration of his stay. It is also desirable that you should try and get along with him.'_

Wasn't that true of all guests, unexpected or not? Katy noticed that the document didn't say how long Gil-galad would be staying, and she didn't want to appear rude by asking him.

"Well…um…where should we start?" she asked nervously, setting the piece of paper down beside her. "After we've finished the tea, shall I show you around? I guess you're going to have to know about all the household stuff."

Instructing an Elvenking on how to use modern appliances such as an oven, shower, kettle, and washing-machine took Katy far less time than she thought it would. Gil-galad merely let her explain how everything worked, and didn't ask her to repeat anything.

"All right, I think that's everything. The document said you need to…blend in here. I don't mean any disrespect, Your Majesty, but you're going to have to change your clothes and I don't think I have anything in your size."

"I would be very surprised if you _did_ have clothes that fit me. And please, do not call me 'Your Majesty'."

"Oh. Then, how do I address you? You're a king."

He smiled at her. "I _was_ a king. After resting in the Halls of Mandos and being reimbodied in Valinor, I am merely a prince of the House of Finwë. The title 'Your Majesty' is no longer relevant to me – which is a relief. Now I am simply called Gil-galad or Ereinion. Treat me just as you would any other guest you had."

"I will."

"Also – if I am to be staying here, it will be very uncomfortable for us both if you keep looking at me as if you think I am going to suddenly attack you. I do not have Aeglos with me, and I did not bring it along for this exact reason."

He smiled with his eyes as well as his mouth. And there was genuine kindness in his face.

"I have to say, it's a good think you didn't bring Aeglos. You're supposed to blend in, and you wouldn't if you walked the streets carrying a spear!" Katy laughed, feeling slightly relaxed. "I think a trip to a shop or two might be a wise move."

_He's going to have to come in with me, and try the clothes on himself. If I had a car, I'd drive him into town – but I don't, so we'll have to walk. So much for going unnoticed…_

**To be continued. Hope you like it so far!**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1.**

**5.**

**Shopping**

Just before Katy and her guest had left the house, it had begun to rain very heavily. Whilst searching for an umbrella, Katy had come across an old mac that belonged to her brother. When she'd moved into her house, Thomas had helped transfer her things; he must have forgotten to take his mac with him.

Gil-galad was quite a bit taller than Thomas, but luckily the mac did a good job of hiding his clothes. Katy also found two empty holdalls; they would be perfect for stuffing the purchases in, and it would be perfect if Gil-galad was able to swap his elven clothes for modern clothes while they were out.

The first shops they came across were _Next_ and _Debenhams_.

"_Next_ has a sale on – let's try that first." They walked towards the shop, rain drumming on the umbrella.

"Hi, Katy!" Sasha, one of the assistants, said cheerfully. "Rubbish weather, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's lousy. Sash, I kind of need your help. In the men's section, do you have clothes for really tall…"

Her voice trailed off as she saw Sasha's mouth slowly fall open. She turned her head to see what her friend was staring at – and sighed in resignation.

_It doesn't matter **what** he wears: he's still going to stand out. But the least we can do is try._

"Uh…yes, it's just up these stairs," Sasha murmured.

On the first floor, she said: "Did you say you were looking for tall?"

"Yes, please – are there any stretchy jeans?"

Luckily, there were. Katy selected two pairs, a few simple T-shirts and some knitwear. "Here," she said, holding them out to Gil-galad. "Do you think these will do?"

"They seem to be of good make. Should I try them on?"

"That would be…No, not _here_!" she cried in horror as one of Gil-galad's hands came up to unbutton the mac. "In the changing rooms! If they fit, and if you like them, then…" She shrugged, hoping that her face wasn't bright red.

"Where are the changing rooms, please?" Gil-galad politely asked Sasha.

"They're that way, sir." Sasha pointed towards the cubicles with thick, blue curtains. As Gil-galad walked towards them, he smiled at Katy with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"He was just teasing me with the coat, wasn't he?" Katy muttered sulkily to her friend.

"Course he was! What's with the holdalls?"

"Hmm? Oh, these. I didn't fancy getting plastic bags." _And carrying around elven robes in shop bags might just attract attention._ "Sash, if he likes the clothes and they fit, can he wear them home? Would that be OK?"

Thankfully, the clothes met with Gil-galad's approval. The jeans came slightly above his ankles, but Katy bought them anyway.

_We're probably not going to find anything better for someone as tall as he is._

"Well, that didn't go too badly," she remarked as they left the shop. "If it's all right, we'll go into _Debenhams_ - I think there might be some other things you'll need."

xxx

"What is the matter?"

"I'm not sure what you mean." Katy kept a tight grip on the basket and the holdalls, deliberately not looking at the Elf.

"You are acting as though there is a warg in the building."

"People are staring at you," Katy muttered, fixing her gaze at the bundles of socks in front of her. She was convinced her face had turned an unattractive shade of puce.

"What of it?" Gil-galad sounded completely unconcerned. "I had to become accustomed to being under the scrutiny of others when I was a child."

"Yes, well, you're supposed to blend in! And if people are staring at you, _it's not working_."

In frustration, Katy turned towards the counter in order to pay for the items in the basket – but a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.

"I suggest you take a while to compose yourself, child. You are nervous and agitated – and that _is_ going to attract attention. " He spoke quietly, but there was a definite note of command in his voice. Katy closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

_He may want me to treat him like any other guest, but he's still royalty._

"I'm sorry," she said after a few moments. "Shall we get these things and leave?"

"That would be wise."

Katy paid for the items (which included a pair of blue pyjamas and some thick socks) as quickly as she could.

It was still raining when they left the shop – fortunately, the downpour was not as heavy as it had been. Gil-galad insisted on taking the umbrella and the heavier of the two bags. When they reached the crossing, Katy was disgruntled to find a large puddle covering half of the road.

"Should we go the longer way?" she asked. Just then, a car sped past; both Katy and Gil-galad jumped backwards quickly in order to avoid the splash of water.

"Alternatively, I could carry you across." Gil-galad hoisted the holdall onto his shoulder and took the other bag from Katy. "Could you hold this, please?" He handed her the umbrella.

"How are you going to…_hey!"_ She found herself suddenly looking at the water whilst hanging upside down over Gil-galad's other shoulder. Before she knew it, they were on the other side of the road. He lowered her gently onto the ground.

"There," he said, smiling down at Katy's astonished face. "Shall we continue?"

**To be continued. Hope you like it so far!**


	6. Chapter 6

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1.**

**6.**

**Guest Room**

"Clearly there is something you would like to say to me," Gil-galad remarked the moment they were inside the house. He put the bags down on the floor, and leaned the umbrella against the wall. "By all means, say it."

Katy pressed her lips together while she tried to think of something appropriate to say. Eventually she decided on: "Please could you warn me in advance next time you do that? I'm not ungrateful you carried me across the water – thank you for doing it – but it just took me by surprise."

"Did I not give you warning?"

"Well, yes, I guess you did. I just didn't think you'd actually do it." She smiled awkwardly at him.

"If I ever have to carry you again, I will warn you beforehand. However, you need to be aware that as King, there were times when it was compulsory for me to do what needed to be done without hesitation. If I find it necessary to do the same while I am your guest, then I will do so. Do you understand what I am saying – and will you trust me?" Gil-galad spoke with a quiet voice, but with the tone of someone who held authority and commanded respect.

Katy was reminded of the gentle but firm voice her dad would talk to her whenever he expected something of her. Her natural reaction would be one of compliance – that is, if she thought the expectation or request was reasonable.

"Yes, I know what you mean. And I will trust you."

xxx

"I should get the guest room ready," Katy said after they had hung up the coats. "There's a spare bedroom upstairs just in case a family member or a friend stays the night."

_Or just in case an unexpected guest drops in._

"Would you like some help?"

"Um…no, thanks. It'll be no trouble. I'll let you know when the room's ready." She picked up the bags and began to head up the stairs.

"Do you normally unpack for your guests as well?"

Katy froze with her feet on different steps. _Treat me just as you would any other guest you had._ "…Not really, no. But I do sometimes help carry their bags upstairs."

There were clean towels already in the spare room. Katy placed them near the sink, and quickly removed the duvet-cover, pillowcases, and sheet from the bed.

_Would he prefer one pillow or two? Oh, I'll give him the option later once I've actually made the bed. I just hope his feet don't stick out the other end._

She went to the airing cupboard, found a clean set of bedding, and finished making the bed. Hopefully, Gil-galad wouldn't mind if the bedding was duck egg blue in colour.

Katy was just about to go back downstairs when she glanced at the small bookshelf. On the bottom shelf were _Unfinished Tales_ and _The Adventures of Tom Bombadil_ by J.R.R. Tolkien.

_Knowing my luck, those will be the **first** books he looks at! I need to hide them._

Fortunately, her _Lord of the Rings_ trilogy and her copies of _Hobbit_, _Silmarillion_ and _History of Middle-Earth_ were in her bedroom. Katy grabbed _Unfinished Tales_ and _Tom Bombadil_ from the shelves and virtually ran towards her room.

"Katy? Is everything all right?" Gil-galad called from downstairs.

"Oh – yes, everything's fine!"

Once she was in her room, she got together her other Tolkien books and looked about for a place to hide them. Under her bed might be a good place – but what were the odds that Gil-galad would come into her room uninvited?

…_Probably not large at all. As a prince, he'd be raised to behave with the appropriate manners and decorum._

Although hadn't he asked her only a short while ago to trust him? It didn't seem fair to hide something from someone she said she trusted.

_Trust should be mutual._

Katy placed all the books on her bookshelf. She would cross this bridge when – or if – she came to it.

**To be continued.**


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1.**

**7.**

**Assistance**

The white envelope was still on Katy's bed, the unread documents inside. Might there be something there that gave advice on what to do concerning Tolkien's books? She pulled out **2** and began to read.

Twenty seconds later, she tossed it onto the duvet.

_Well, **that** was helpful._

The piece of paper only contained instructions about food and cooking for Elves.

…_Wait._ Katy snatched up the paper and scanned it.

'_Do not be surprised if your guest offers to help with meals – or insists on doing the preparations themselves. For the Noldor it is custom for women to bake the bread (including **lembas**) and for men to do the actual cooking.'*_

Well, yes, but did that apply to royalty? Did kings and princes like Finwë, Finarfin and Turgon wear aprons over their robes to prevent getting grease and stuff like that on them? Even if they did, Katy couldn't picture Fëanor, the Spirit of Fire, in the kitchen.

Also, according to _The Silmarillion_, Gil-galad was sent to the Havens when he was young and was raised by Círdan the Shipwright. The Teleri might have had a very different set of customs.

Katy groaned and buried her face in her hands.

_If he offers to help, then I'll take him up on it. But if he doesn't, I won't ask him. I shouldn't keep him waiting downstairs anyway._

Pulling herself together, she got up and left her bedroom. Come to think of it, she needed to think about what they could have for tea tonight.

Gil-galad was in the sitting-room, calmly sitting on the sofa.

"I'm sorry I took so long. The room's ready – do you want to have a look?"

"I would, thank you. Are you sure everything is all right?"

"Yes, I'm certain."

They walked back up the stairs and towards the spare room. Katy hoped Gil-galad wouldn't notice the small empty space on the bookshelf.

"This is it," she said. "Will this be all right?"

"It looks very comfortable," replied Gil-galad, smiling at her.

xxx

Katy knelt down and opened the fridge. She could see a packet of shortcrust pastry on the top shelf, and some cheese and bacon. She took the ingredients out of the fridge, opened the packet of pastry and placed it onto a floured chopping board.

_There's milk and cream as well. Good. Hopefully there should be enough eggs. I'll have to go food shopping soon._

Did this mean Gil-galad would have to come with her? If shopping for clothes was awkward, _food_ shopping would be absolutely excruciating.

She turned on the oven and put a frying pan on top of it. Next, she cut the bacon into small pieces and grated some of the cheese into a bowl.

The kitchen door opened and Gil-galad entered; although he was wearing jeans and a casual brown sweater, he looked every inch a member of the House of Finwë. He didn't need a crown to look like a king.

"Hi," Katy said. "I'm just preparing supper."

"What is it?"

"It's a quiche - a pastry filled with a kind of savoury custard. Depending on the recipe, people add different kinds of meats, cheeses and vegetables."

"Would you like some help?"

"Well, um…" Katy remembered what the document had said. "It would be quicker if both of us prepared it. Please could you roll out the pastry while I fry the bacon?"

After the quiche had been slipped into the oven, Katy set the timer to go off after thirty minutes. Normally she would find a book to read whilst waiting for food to cook – but not when she had a guest.

"Shall we go to the sitting-room?" she asked.

_We're going to have to make conversation. Oh boy. What could we possibly have to talk about?_

**To be continued.**

***** I got this from 'History of Middle-Earth, Volume 12 - Laws and Customs of the Eldar'


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: Usual drill.**

**8.**

**Conversation**

"Let's sit down," Katy suggested. Much to her surprise, Gil-galad lowered himself right onto the middle of the sofa. After a moment of hesitation she sat down on the sofa's right side. Her shoulders were nearly up to her ears with tension.

If it had been any of her friends – like Sasha or Natalie – sitting beside her, Katy would have been able to start talking immediately. At least with them, she would have known what to talk about. With Nat, it would most likely have been books; Sasha…well, Katy didn't have to say much with her. She just asked a question or introduced a topic, sat back and relaxed. It was one of the things she liked best about Sasha.

What was she going to do here? The polite thing to do would be to start a conversation herself.

"I…um…" she began - and then stopped with a nervous smile. To her horror, she felt as though she were about to cry.

_No, don't. You mustn't._

"When I…when I was looking through that website, it said that Fëanor was temporarily unavailable," she forced herself to say. "Do you know what it meant by that?"

"Mandos has not yet released him from the Halls of Waiting. There are very few left there now: those who still require healing, those who have not reached their time…and then there are those who do not wish to leave."

_Fëanor probably falls into all three of those categories._

"His sons are out, though. I saw their pages. If it's all right for me to ask, why can't they come individually?"

"They do not want to be separated. Even if one is chosen, another will accompany him. After Maglor returned to Valinor, his brothers did not let him out of their sight for a very long time. It took a lot of persuading for them to end their self-imposed exile from society." Gil-galad sighed. "Even so, they were met with hostility and they are still not yet fully accepted."

"I hope they will be one day," Katy murmured, looking down at her lap. She was taken aback when Gil-galad chuckled: a deep sound that seemed to reverberate around the room.

"According to my father, Celegorm, Caranthir and Curufin are much easier to get on with now they have been reimbodied! I remember he had certain words to say about Curufin in particular."

"Really? What words?"

"_Manipulative little brat_ were the most polite. I was a very small child at the time; Father was unaware I was listening to the conversation." He looked down at Katy. "And seeing as how I was supposed to be in bed, I certainly was not going to tell him. Unfortunately, Grandfather caught me just as I was about to go back to my bedroom."

_Curufin must have been able to wind Daddy dearest around his little finger, _Katy thought with a smile.

**To be continued. Reviews are very welcome!**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER:**** Usual drill.**

**9.**

**Conversation (II)**

**Author's Note:**** Yes, it's an update! Sorry it took me so long.**

"What happened when your grandfather caught you out of bed?" Katy asked.

"I was scolded, and confined to my room for the following day," Gil-galad replied matter-of-factly.

Katy couldn't repress a giggle. That would probably have happened to her and Thomas had they done the same thing.

"Is…is your father still friends with Maedhros?" she enquired. Immediately after the words left her mouth, she realised she'd made a horrible mistake.

_I just let slip I know Fingon and Maedhros were friends. Please, please, don't let him notice that…_

An even worse thought entered her mind. Gil-galad hadn't even told her who his father was. Katy had read _History of Middle-Earth _and knew that there were two Elves who were said to have been the father of the last High King of the Noldor.

"Indeed he is. Their friendship remains unchanged. Maedhros would occasionally visit my father in Dor-lómin; they would sit and drink wine in the evening."

Katy smiled out of sheer relief. Her smile grew broader as Gil-galad continued to speak.

"When Maedhros was reimbodied, it was Father who visited him. Eventually, he persuaded Maedhros to come to the palace at Tirion to speak to my grandfather and Finarfin. The other sons of Fëanor followed his lead after a while." Gil-galad shifted around slightly so that he was now facing Katy. "Tell me a little of _your_ family. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I have a brother called Thomas; he's younger than I am. He's twenty-one, and studying up in London. He wants to be a lawyer." Katy hoped she wouldn't have to explain what a lawyer was. "London's one of the…main cities around here," she said awkwardly. "Our parents live a short way away. My father is a therapist."

_How am I going to explain about my part-time job?_

Katy worked weekends at _The Body Shop_ in the local shopping centre. Assuming Gil-galad stayed long, what was he going to do when Katy was at work? He couldn't go into the shop with her. The manager, Marilyn, would have a fit!

_I must have a look in the envelope and see if there's anything about this. I don't know if he'd be scandalised that I even __**have**__ a job: he comes from a culture where Elven women might not have worked for a living. It might be worth having a look at __**History of Middle-Earth**__ as well._

"What is a therapist?"

_Oh boy._ "Well, I suppose…There are many different kinds. You could say they're _healers_. In my dad's case, he needs to be a very good listener."

Katy had no idea what her dad would make of all this. If she told him a plush toy came to life, he'd probably think she was insane or something.

At that moment, the timer went off in the kitchen. Katy stood up and said: "The quiche should be ready. Is it OK if I go and check?"

Gil-galad smiled at her. "This is your home. You do not need to ask me."

Katy left the sitting-room, feeling somewhat unnerved. The Elf's smile had been pleasant, but there had been a look in those bright eyes. It was a _glint_, one that reminded Katy of a look she had often seen in her brother's eyes – a look that inevitably meant trouble.

She hoped she had imagined it.

**To be continued. Reviews are very welcome!**


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter 1.**

**10.**

**Choices**

Gil-galad laid his cutlery down on the empty plate. "That was delicious."

"Thank you very much," Katy replied politely. To be honest, the quiche had been very tasty. "Thanks for your help in preparing it."

She picked up her plate and Gil-galad's and took them over to the sideboard.

"Luckily there isn't much washing-up to do. Would you like to go through to the sitting-room while I take care of this?"

"Is there anything I can assist with?"

Katy hesitated. "Um…I don't think so, thank you. I can do this by myself. Besides, you're my guest and I wouldn't ask you to help with tasks like this."

_If Sasha or Nat had offered to help, you would have taken them up on it._

She immediately pushed the thought out of her mind. That was different. Sasha and Nat were her friends, and they weren't royalty. Gil-galad…well, he wasn't exactly a friend yet, and he was royalty.

"I shouldn't be too long," she said, smiling.

xxx

It didn't even take her five minutes to wash everything. She placed everything on the rack to dry. Removing her apron, she took a deep breath, exhaled and went to join Gil-galad.

He was sitting patiently on the sofa. Katy went to sit beside him, trying not to feel disgruntled that he looked more relaxed than she did.

"So," she began hesitantly. "What would you like to do now?"

"What do _you_ normally like to do after supper?" Gil-galad replied.

"Oh. I…" Katy paused. The truth was that there wasn't very much she _did_ do in the evenings by herself. She didn't have a TV; besides, she didn't fancy explaining to Gil-galad how a television worked.

"Well, I like to read in the evenings. I also like to listen to music, and maybe do a bit of story-writing if I feel inspired." An idea came to her suddenly. "Alternatively, I've got some board games."

She hadn't played those board games for a very long time. It might be fun teaching her guest how to play them.

"Stories?" Gil-galad sounded interested. He shifted around so that he was facing Katy. "What are these stories like?"

Katy's supper threatened to make an unwelcome reappearance.

_Oh no. No way. I am __**not**__ going to tell him about the fan-fiction._

"Well, I've got a long story about a young woman who makes a choice, and it's how that choice changes her life. There are consequences for the people she loves as well."

"Does she realise there would be consequences?"

The question was asked in a perfectly polite voice, but Katy saw sadness reflected in Gil-galad's eyes.

"No, she doesn't. She's manipulated into it by someone she trusts, and she does it because she would do anything for the people she cares about. It doesn't occur to her that there'll be consequences until it's too late." To lighten the mood a little, Katy said quickly: "Also, I'm writing something about four friends who get into quite a bit of trouble."

She put her hands on her knees. "Would you like to learn how to play one of my board games? We could listen to some music as well."

_What music would he like, though? The only thing in my collection that sounds remotely Elven is the 'Mediaeval Baebes'._

**To be continued. Reviews are very welcome!**


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: See Chapter One.**

**11.**

**Music**

Katy thought she would have to explain the rules of chess to her visitor. That would have been a bit awkward, since she hadn't played chess in years and had probably forgotten half the rules. Gil-galad solved that problem not only by knowing the rules better than she did, but by defeating her soundly four times in a row.

"Where did you learn how to play?" she asked.

"Círdan taught me how to play when I first arrived at the Havens; years later, we taught Elrond and Elros."

"I first learned at school. We had a chess club, and I used to play a few games with my dad. He probably _let_ me win most of the time." Katy placed the pieces back on the board, ready for a fifth game. She hoped that Gil-galad didn't think she was letting _him_ win.

Katy looked up to see a knowing smile on his face, but she was startled to see sadness in his eyes again.

"Is everything all right?" she asked. She wanted to reach out and gently put a hand on his arm, as she would if Sasha or Natalie were upset. She only just stopped herself – Gil-galad might not like such familiarity, and it would probably be inappropriate for Katy to do that anyway.

Gil-galad nodded slowly. "Yes, thank you. I was thinking of Elros when he was a child, before he made his choice. Elrond still deeply misses him."

Katy looked down at her lap. _Oh._ She wanted to ask what Elrond and Elros were like as children. In fact, there were so many things she wanted to ask him; but remembering Elros had clearly upset him and she didn't want to ask questions about a sensitive subject.

"What music is this?"

Katy had put on a playlist of music by the _Mediaeval Baebes__. She had explained how an MP3 player and speakers worked to her guest, and set the playlist on repeat._

"The singers are a choral group called the Mediaeval Baebes. I'd be very happy to turn it off if you don't like it."

"Katy. I was not going to say I do not like the music. I do like it, and I was merely going to ask what the words of this particular song mean. I believe I made it very clear to you that I am not going to harm you. You have no reason to be afraid of me." Gil-galad spoke calmly and firmly.

"I'm sorry. I will relax more, I promise. To answer your question, this song is called 'Pearl'. It's about a river, and the happiness it brings to the singer. In fact, he thinks he'll find paradise on the other side of the river if he crosses it. These singers take old texts, songs and poems and write music for them."

_Come on, Katy. You're perfectly safe with him. He's not going to hurt you._

'Love Me Broughte' was the next song in the playlist. Katy had to consider her answer very carefully when Gil-galad asked her what this one was about.

"I guess…this song is about Ilúvatar."

Gil-galad's response was a solemn nod.

_**To be continued. Reviews are very welcome!**_


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